Ryedale

Ryedale's population grew older in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in work life, health and religion.

The population reached nearly 52,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Ryedale increased by 1.7%, from almost 50,900 to 51,800.

The addition of almost 900 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Ryedale was home to, on average, 0.24 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres). This made it Yorkshire and The Humber's least densely-populated district.

Population density was lower than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Ryedale

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Ryedale increased by four years, from 43 to 47 years.

This agricultural area had the highest average age in Yorkshire and The Humber and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 1,900 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 15% of people in Ryedale are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Ryedale by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Ryedale working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 18% to 14% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across Yorkshire and The Humber. As a result, this area had the region’s third highest proportion of people working long hours.

Long hour working in Ryedale decreased by 4.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Ryedale, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health fell in Ryedale, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber, except Barnsley.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 10% to 6.0%.

During this period, Ryedale fell below York, Selby and Craven to become the Yorkshire and The Humber local authority area with the seventh-lowest percentage of people describing their health as bad or very bad.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.6%) in Ryedale said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 7.8% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 69% to 81%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Ryedale decreased by 3.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Ryedale, Yorkshire and The Humber and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

Private renting increased in Ryedale, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of privately rented homes, as the regional average grew from 9.1% to 16%.

In 2011, just over one in six (17%) households in Ryedale rented privately, compared with 14% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes increased from 13% to 13%.

Private renting was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households that that rented privately across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Ryedale

The number of people in Ryedale from the White ethnic groups remained close to 51,000 between the last two seasons. As a share of the total population, the percentage remained close to 99%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber (89%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Ryedale from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just over 140 in 2001 to about 300 in 2011 (from 0.3% to 0.6%). The number of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 100 to just over 270 (from 0.2% to 0.5%).

About 80 people (0.1%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 36 in 2001 (0.2%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Ryedale remained close to 99%

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Ryedale by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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